British soldiers destroyed secret Taliban training school and IED factory Helmand area Afghanistan

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United Kingdom British Army News

 

Thursday, June 30, 2011, 06:34 PM
 
British soldiers destroyed secret Taliban training school and IED factory in Helmand area, Afghanistan.
 
A secret insurgent training school and a huge haul of deadly insurgent bombs have been destroyed by British forces in Helmand following a daylight helicopter assault and intense fire fight. After receiving a tip-off from local people, the 3 Commando Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF) uncovered the enemy base in Nahr-e Saraj district.
     
A secret insurgent training school and a huge haul of deadly insurgent bombs have been destroyed by British forces in Helmand following a daylight helicopter assault and intense fire fight. After receiving a tip-off from local people, the 3 Commando Brigade Reconnaissance Force (BRF) uncovered the enemy base in Nahr-e Saraj district.
Members of 3 Commando Brigade Reconnaissance Force wait for the dust to settle before continuing with their assault in Helmand province
[Picture: PO(Phot) Hamish Burke, Crown Copyright/British MOD 2011]
     
Inside the compound, which had been laced with IEDs, the BRF found 75 pressure plate devices armed and ready to be laid in the ground to maim and kill. Another 40 were in the process of being constructed and there was a stash of 140 kilograms of homemade explosives which could have been used to make many more.

In what is the BRF's biggest find to date, they also discovered countless radio transmitters - used to trigger the detonators of IEDs - and more than 30 artillery shells which had been used to attack ISAF patrol bases nearby.

Within the building, there was a second room that was heavily fortified and contained even more deadly equipment.
     
A sniper from the 3 Commando Brigade Reconnaissance Force supporting the operation to uncover an IED factory in Helmand province
A sniper from the 3 Commando Brigade Reconnaissance Force supporting the operation to uncover an IED factory in Helmand province
[Picture: Crown Copyright/British MOD 2011]
     
While some of the items from the outer compound were removed for analysis, due to the risk of booby traps in the inner compound the BRF chose to destroy the whole room - preventing all of the material being used by the insurgents, should they return to salvage the remnants of their stash.

But the victory did not come without a fight. The Royal Marines, soldiers and engineers who make up the BRF stormed the compound, located deep inside the contested Helmand 'Green Zone', after reaching the area in two Chinook helicopters.

As the troops prepared to disembark, they came under heavy, sustained fire from all directions. The BRF returned fire and called in support from attack helicopters to take out the insurgent firing points.
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